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At the permaculture zone in Dole near Poljčane a yurt was built, a traditional dwelling structure of Mongolian nomadic tribes, which is an improved version of the isolated tent that will – just like a more solid structure would but with a smaller impact on the environment – serve as a multipurpose room or a classroom.
Domen Zupan, the person in charge of setting up the zone, explained the importance of this object’s placement in the centre of the zone, as it will be used to simulate how to achieve nutritional self-sufficiency and how to place items in the environment to minimize energy consumption.

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Video transcript

At the permaculture learning grounds in Dole near Poljčane it only took a few days to build a yurt, a traditional dwelling structure of Mongolian nomadic tribes, which will serve as a multipurpose room or as a classroom.

Domen Zupan, head of zone construction:The yurt represents the centre of this estate which covers about one hectare of ground and is fully designed as a permaculture estate. This is therefore the core which in this case simulates a house, a dwelling structure that dictates the configuration of other elements of the permaculture zone.

A yurt with a diameter of 8 m was chosen mostly due to its low impact on the environment. Since it is actually an improved version of the isolated tent, it can be used during all seasons while at the same time serving its purpose just like a more solid structure.

Domen Zupan, head of zone construction: In the rear part we will add a greenhouse, which will also contain a small kitchen and sanitary facilities, but will also being used for seedling cultivation. In short – another multipurpose room. Always based on the permaculture principle, which strives to have each element in the system perform as many functions as possible and have as many elements as possible support one another.

The central location of the yurt is also very important, as the zone will be used to simulate how to achieve nutritional self-sufficiency and how to set up the environment in a way to minimize energy consumption.

Domen Zupan, head of zone construction:This central part is surrounded by a suntrap, another element supporting the whole design, which encompasses the garden with the house. It creates a warmer microclimate, which comes in handy, particularly during the coldest part of the year. This means that the suntrap is composed of the shrubbery, smaller trees and larger trees in the back, which, facing south, offer protection and create a somewhat warmer area here, which is suitable for living in. It can slightly reduce the energy use in the dwelling, which is also beneficial for the plants. After that we will add a water element, which has – just like everything in permaculture – several functions. This element of water will be located in front of the yurt and during colder weather this watery surface will for example function as a mirror and add additional energy from the sun to the dwelling or the classroom. In addition to making the surroundings more temperate, it also contributes to biotic diversity; at night it warms the area while during the day it keeps it slightly cooler. In short, we have a number of such effects that accumulate and in a permeaculture system we try to round things up, to combine as many as possible in a solid sustainable system. Everything to achieve sustainable living, so we don’t use too many resources, because our children and grandchildren will have to bear the costs, we are currently exhausting their resources and we are simply using too many of them.

At the site they will also display new approaches to solving the current environmental problems and questions.

Domen Zupan, head of zone construction:We want to show that resources are limited. We chose an example which I believe is quite common in Slovenia. In our example there is a water spring on a hill, which is polluted, as wastewater is being drained near it. We will make a reservoir, lead the wastewater past the spring and clean it in a plant-based purification plant; we will do an ecoremediation on the spring itself in the form of a plant-based purification plant, capture the water in a larger cistern and use it later for the needs of our site. Likewise, we will install photovoltaic cells and a collector for sanitary water heating. This means that on all these levels students or whoever, the local environment, will be faced with the fact that resources are limited and that we have to act accordingly. Even though we are used to turning on the faucet or the light and expecting it to shine endlessly, we have to be aware that our children and grandchildren will be faced with limited resources and that we have to act ethically and limit our own use. Or at least be aware that even though we take resources for granted, they are not in an unlimited supply.